HomeMy WebLinkAboutCampbell_Wildlife Times_Winter 2015 % "�. ;
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�usch Wi�c��i�e �janctuary �� '�,� ;,� < �all 2o i 5/ 1/`li�,ter 2o i 6
At Loxahatc�ee River pistrict ' ��
�;` www.6uschwi�d�ife.or.��.
2500 Ju iter Park Drive ����^ `�
,�uPiter, 33458 "��f ° �56 � )-575-3399
Record Year for Eagles in Need
�,,� -� The Busch Wildlife Sanctuary's hospital treats over 5,000 wild animal patients each
,_ �� ,��; ���� � year. Sadly, �nany of these animals arrive in ci•itical ronditio�l. 2015 marks on� of the
�- _����``- a-, s busiest years in tlle Sanctuary's histoiy with the admission of 14 sick, injured, and orphaned
"� �' � Bald Eagles. The cases ranged fi baby eaglets falling out of their nests to collisions with
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�� ��� ��. � ;�,� `� � automobiles, and the rarest of all, a cancer patient. We ai•e pl•oud to repol that 9 of the 14
�"� �� eagles have alT�eady been returned to the wild.
� �``�� In tl�e circumstances involving the baby eaglets, bad weather a�ld poorly
�''' + constructed nests are probably the most likely to blame. When a baby eagle comes out of
��'`•' �+� � ��� .' the nest too early, it is always the first priority to try to keep the young with the parent birds
'� �:;�, If the baby is old enough to perch on a branch instead of needing the flat surface of a nest, it
��� ��� �� can be placed back up in the tree. Ho��ever, if the eaglet is not ready to support itself
�-' �� �-� � «�ithout the nest, a platform can be constructed to serve iu its place. Ou a number of
occasions the Sanctuary has rcached out to Florida Po���er and Light for their assistance in building and installing these nest
platfor�ns. Many times the adult birds will use the platforms and even return the following year to rebuild their nest.
Unfortunately, one of the inost coinmon causes of inj�iry to wildlife is collisions with autoinobiles. It is not hard to
imagine how traumatic and life-threatening these type of injuries can be, not to meution tl�e complicated n�edical procedures
required to repair tl�e damaged bodies. The goal of the Sanctuary's wildlife rehabilitation program is to rehu•n recovered
patients back to the wild. In order for a successful release, birds need to have the ability of full range of motion in their ���ings
to be able to take to the skies once again and hlmt on their own. Our skilled medical team performed surgeries that are state of
the art and intended to restore tlle animals to their pre-injured conditioi�. These procedures often include the use of a» external
fixator that is designed to realign fi�actured bones in the least invasive inanner with the best potential for healing success.
Wllile the Sanctuary has seen a fe��� of its per►nanent residents develop cancer in their old age, «�e �vere shocked to
have a six-�veek-old baby eagle with sqliamous cell carcinoina come iu this yeat•. The young eaglet was initially admitted to
':��� the hospital after being found on the groiuld very emaciated with wounds on his head and eyes. It is unknown how the bird
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;T=° ended up out of the nest or what exactly caused llis injuries. The baby was in such poor shape he required extensive around
the clock care. While his overall condition slowly began to improve, he developed a growth on his lower eyelid. Within only
a week it had grown tremendously, cover�ng E,� ��' � �-:� ,��
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his whole eye. The cancerous growth was � � � � �. � �; . '�: }�,,,;�� : 1
surgically removed by volunteer Sanctuary � ��:� ���� � �°t' � �� _'�;;.,� �
veterinarians. Although at this time it - `=�� , � "' � ` ` ,,,
a ears he has beaten the cancer we w�11,= '.`w ` `� :�', ''��� ' �' ��;
continue to monitor his health closel for, ��� '; '��:��� � � � ������� �" *• ��- � �� �' � �
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any returning signs of ilhless. Due to his ��� , '��� ���� "'�'��"�'� `�� � `' � ` �
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permanent vision impairment he «ill remam � , -- _ � � - �
at the Sanctuary as an animal ambassadot. ��' �� ��:-=�-��`. � �{` � �� .� ���-�
� The pictzrf�e crbove is Hannibal, ota� ���` � � ' ���� ,' �t t �; ��
voung cance�• san�vivo�°. To the f•ight is ,�,i <=���- ���� ,,' � ` , '� `�� ��
Sanctuafy E,cecutive Dir�ector, David Hitzig, � � � �- �-�=-, ����' u, ��` � `
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i�eleasing one of the yoimg Bald Eagles. It �� , �- � �- �� ��
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laad allen �°om a nest and lvas raised with ,, �d��� �� , - �
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other• eagles in the Sanctzia���'s . flight cage. �€i�� .. �_ . x-�.
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The Real Do�othy, A T�ue S'anctua�y Friend
In Noveinber of 1997, the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary had its oiticial previcw ���
open house to the public. Tl,ere was a veiy special woma» in attendance that day. ; �
her na�ne was Dottie Ca�npbell. She became one of the Sanctuary's greatest fi �, �'� ��� .�<�� ���
and biggest supporCers. Dottie was qLiite a�� accomplished individual and just a few �� ��� ��
minutes with her would leave yo�� in total awe. � � �` '�
Dottie had a passion for animals, and the Sanctuaiy gave her an outlet to get ��.���
her tix of wildlife adventures. Oii her ficst visit, she fell in love with Freddy and �'�-��
Splash (an Anlerical� Alligator and Crocodile). Dottie wanted to spruce up their �"� �`
home ai�d offered to donate some trees for their enclosure. Today, the oaks tower� ,�► ���- ����� -
over the boardwall< aild a��e a monumei�t to Dottie's generosity and love of nature. �"" '�` `_,�
Over the years, Dottie �vas al���ays so thoughtful. She would send gitts to :���
the Sanctuary's animals and staff; never a Christmas went by without a gigantic box of cookies. Dottie often delivered
intei�estiug clippi�lgs of articles she had found on anin�als and nature. Slie would fi�equently bring her family and friends to the
Sanctuary for up-close a�limal encounters, and Dottie would have the biggest smile on her face tl�e entire time.
She would mal<e contributions wheilever she could. Her donations caine in all spaces and sizes, from a box of
goodies and supplies for the animals, to a check slie received for manning the election polls and had just endorsed it over to
the Sanctuary. Uther ti►nes, slie would call and ask if we could cllarge a donation to her credit card, Dottie was never on� ic�� -'
miss out on some fi•equent t7yer miles. Her love and generosity was always fi�om the heart, she never sugar coated anything.
Dottie passed a���ay on October 1 st, just 128 days atter being diagnosed witlz pancreatic cancer. She hated funerals, so
living life her way, she had a party for her closest ti•iends to celebrate her life while she ���as here to enjoy it. Dottie (aka "the
real Dorothy") loved tl�e Wizard of Oz, and there is no doubt she is somewhere over the rainbow now. Thank you, Dottie, for
your love, friendship, and support! Pictir�ed ahove is Dottie and herSanctuary friend, thazshe ncn��ed Wizard.
WhatTo ]�o �/`/hen You �ind �njured �/`/i�d�ife When rescuing a wild animal, your first thought may be to
✓ Use common sense and think of your safety first comfort the creature and provide it with food, but handling the animal
✓ Try to contain the animal can cause stress, and feeding can cause harm, since the diets of wild
✓ Keep the animal ��vann & quiet animals are very complex. [t is better to do as little as possible until
✓ Do not pet oc handle the animal you can get the animal to a wildlife rehabilitation facility.
✓ Do not tiy to fecd or give water to the animal Call Busch Wildlife Sanctuary for help at: (561)-575-3399 '
Baby Tu�tles and Alligator Recovered Afte� Theft
It all started on a quiet Friday moilling. The weather was beautiful and visitors were starting to • y - r�,,s; '
trickle into the Sanctuary. There was a man who was spending a great deal of time walking bet«�een the baby � �
t�n and baby alligator enclostn�es. His behaviar seemed a little odd and caught the eye of the Sanctuary
staf£ He was seen stepping off the path and going behind tlle turtle enclosure. A staff inember politely asked ' ;
hirn to siay on the pali� and inc�uired if he needed any assist�ance. He replied, that ne just liked turties and � �`�. ��'
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wanted to get some pictures of the baby alligators. It all seemed harmless enough. ..� _=
A few moments (ater another staff inember noticed a pair of wire cutters laying on the ground next to '' - �>>�.
the turtle enclosure. Lo��� and behold there was a small hole cut through the wire mesh. Immediately, the ,� ..��
search was on to find the individual that had been spending so much time at the baby turtle enclosure. �-�
Everyone scoured high and low throughout the Sanctuary, but not a trace. The staff inember who had the most ` F
contact with the man jumped into her car and drove down the road to see if she could spot him. She caught up „ :`
with him just a few blocks from the Sanctuary and motioned for him to pull over. She asked if he had taken `
turtles ti•om the Sanctuary. He denied knowing what she was talking about, but when she looked in the back �
seat oi' his SUV there �a�as a box of turtles, so «�ithout blinking an eye she rescued the kidnapped reptiles.
You would have figured that would have been then end of his animal stealing days, or at least attempting to do so at Busch
i� ,, ,;; Wildlife Sanctuary, but no such luck. Only four days later the would-be thief was at it again.
� �' This time he cut into the baby alligator enclosure and ran off with a little hatchling gator.
�� �t,.n.. ,�°t�'�'� �* Surveillance cameras showed our turtle snatcher arriving at the Sanctuary and after only
tifteen minutes jumping back into his car and speeding off.
� � Both the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Palm Beach
A♦ �' ±} � �� y,� "" Cow�ty Sheriff's Office jumped into action to track down and question the animal abductor.
•�°; �;�°` �� �� �� \ " Once found, he quickly admitted to both incidents and made a full confession after being read
�;,. .; �� �,,i . �� his Miranda i•ights. The individual faces m�ltiple charges of criminal mischief, thett, and
� °" '' „� possession of protected species. The fast and brave action of a Sanctuary staff inember led to
� d a quick recovery of the baby turtles and wildlife officers were able to nab the perpetrator and
T safely return the stolen baby alligator. A very happy ending, great job everyone!!!